Treatment and Prevention
Skin cancer is usually treated with surgery. People with removed cancer
are never told that they're completely cured because there's always a chance
that the cancer will return, because some cancer cells may have spread beyond
the removed tissue. To lessen this risk of recurrence, surgeons typically cut
an extra margin around skin tumors.
Higher-risk tumors like hand or lip tumors are often removed using Mohs
micrographic surgery, in which a specially trained surgeon removes skin
in layers using a microscope to follow the exact spread of cancer cells. People
who have been treated with this technique have a lower rate of cancer recurrence.
Occasionally, tumors are killed by freezing them with liquid nitrogen or
burning them with a laser. Radiation and chemotherapy can be used in addition
to surgery if the cancer has recurred or if your doctor believes it might metastasize.
Topical medications (medications that are applied to the skin) can be used
to treat superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC). The topical medications currently
available in the United States include 5-fluorouracil (also
known as fluorouracil)* and imiquimod. 5-fluorouracil (5 FU) belongs to the
group of medications known as topical antineoplastics. It works by interfering
with cancer cell growth. Imiquimod belongs to a new class of topical medications
called immune response modifiers. This type of medication works by stimulating
the immune system to produce substances that fight against the cancer.
In cases where the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, chemotherapy
medications may be used in combination with other treatment options such as
radiation therapy and surgery. Chemotherapy medications that may be used include
cisplatin, doxorubicin, carmustine, lomustine, hydroxyurea, aldesleukin, bleomycin,
and docetaxel. Your doctor will decide on an appropriate combination of medications
based on your individual medical history.
To help prevent skin cancer, protect your skin from the sun by covering up
with clothing or wearing a sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 15 and blocks
both UVA and UVB rays. Check your skin every month for changes, growths, or
sores that do not heal, and have these checked out by a doctor as soon as possible.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name
is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®).
The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen).
A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article
lists medications by their common names. For more information on brand names,
speak with your doctor or pharmacist.